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Bots

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Bots is a Dutch-language folk rock band from Eindhoven, formed in 1974. The singer Hans Sanders was then studying at the Sociale Academie (a college of social work) and started the group with, among others, Bonkie Bongaerts. The name comes from the Dutch verb botsen, to collide. The band came from left-wing circles and called its own music strijdcultuur, a culture of struggle: the lyrics dealt with young workers, feminism, racism, solidarity and militarism. Peter Koelewijn produced the first albums, beginning with Van kwaad tot erger in 1975.

Music and breakthrough

The best-known record is Zeven dagen lang from the 1976 album Voor God en vaderland. It is an adaptation of the Breton folk song Son ar Chistr, which Alan Stivell had made famous. In the music you hear folk and pop intermingled, with flute and saxophone alongside guitars and piano. In Germany Bots became even more popular than at home, in both the West and the GDR, where the band was already touring in 1977. From 1980 the group also sang in German. Aufstehn included Sieben Tage lang, and Entrüstung from 1981 included Das weiche Wasser, a protest song against the deployment of cruise missiles.

Influence

In this way Bots became a voice of the peace movement of the early 1980s. In 1983 the band played in West Berlin, for free, to an enormous audience at the festival Künstler für den Frieden. Disputes over money and changes in the line-up followed. Sanders died in 2007, but Zeven dagen lang remained well known, including through a new version with Ali B from 2005.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Zeven dagen lang. Notice the melody that circles like a folk dance and the chorus that the whole group sings together: a song to sing along to with a packed hall.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists